Windmill-tower



(No Model.)

' DE LO-NSON E. BARNARD.

WINDMILL TOWER.

Patented Mar. 3, 1896.

AH DREW BJSRMMM. PHD'TO-UTHQWASHIN 5T ilNlTED firarns PATENT rricn.

DE LONSON ELROY BARNARD, OF BELOIT, XVISCONSIN.

WINDMlLL-TOWER.

SPECIFICATION-forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,799, dated March 3, 1896. Application filed July 27, 1895. Serial No. 557,316. (No model.)

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DE LONSON ELROY BAR- NARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beloit, county of Rock and State oflVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WVindmill-Towers,which are fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

I11 the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved tower without the windmill mechanism, but showing the pump-rod broken away except at the upper and lower portions of its length. Fig. 2 is a detail elevation diagonal with respect to the tower, showing a portion of a series of tie-rods and their connections by which the tower is tied in vertical lines about the center. Fig. 3 is a detail elevation looking cornerwise into one of the corner posts of the tower, showing in elevation certain devices for bracing the tower and tightening such braces. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan of the same devices shown in Fig. 3, section being made horizontally through the corner-post above said devices. Fig. 5 is a perspective of one of the clips constituting part of the said devices for tightening the braces. Fig. 6 is a plan of a fitting employed in the vertical tying of the tower about the center shown in Fig. 2.

The tower shown in the drawings is a rectangular pyramidal tower having angleiron corner-posts A A, the. The corner-posts are bound together at ten-foot intervals by horizontal girts B B, (to, and at ten-foot intervals, alternating with the girts B, the tower is braced diagonally by bars 0 C, &c.,extending from the corner-posts,respectively, toward the center and bolted to the wings D D, &c., respectively, of the fittings D, which are castings made with an open center at (Z, which as illustrated, is square and bounded by the flange D The opening d is designed to perinit the pump-rod E to extend vertically through the center of the tower, and said rod may be more or less closely guarded in said opening. The corner-posts A A, &c., are bound together at the top by fittings F and F, similar to the fittings D, except that the wings are turned downward and bolted to the lips of the angle-iron corners. F is the platform, which may be constructed in any convenient manner, and binds the cornerposts exteriorly. The fittings D D, (to, are connected to each other successively and to the fitting F, which is bolted to the towerposts by rods G G, &c., in pairsthat is to say, commencing with the fitting F two rods G G are secured at opposite sides of the central opening, which corresponds to the opening d in the fittings D, and extending down from such fastening pass through two opposite wings, D D, of the next fitting D be low, being secured to said wings by nuts g g, both above and below the latter. The rods G thus serve as the bolts which secure the angleiron brace-bars C to the same fittings D. From the fitting D, to which the first pair of rods thus extend down from above, the next pair of rods extend down, but from the other two wings, D D, at right angles to the two wings to which the first pair of rods extend from above, and this second pair of rods, extending down to the next fitting below, are secured in the same manner-that is, by two nuts g, one above and one below the wing-and then in like manner from the other two wings of that fitting the next pair of rods extend down to the corresponding fitting of the next wing. still below, and so on, the rods in pairs standing alternately first in one diagonal plane and then in the other, as seen in Fig. 2. The last pair extend to a fitting D,which is located in the plane of the lowest set of girts B B, this last pair, therefore, being only five feet instead of ten feet long, and instead of the horizontal diagonal bars 0, to connect this lowest fitting D to the corner post, I employ the braces C of angle-iron, which extend from all four of the wings D of this lowest fitting obliquely down ward and outward in planes diagonal with respect to the tower to the four corner-posts, respectively, to which they are bolted, as shown at c 0. Upon consideration of this structurethat is to say, the four corner-posts and the vertical ties made up of the rods G, and the fittings by which they are connected, and the braces Oit will be seen that by adjusting the nuts 9 on the rods successively the e11- tire system of rods about the center may be strained tight with a tendency to how the corner-posts A inward or outward; but in view of the effect of gravity upon the leaning posts the strong probability would be that the posts would be bowed inward toward the vertical central line, the planes of stress being diagonal with respect to the tower. Such tendency to how the posts, whether outward or inward, is resisted by the diagonal bars C C, which come from the corner-posts to the fittings D, and it is also resisted at the horizontal planes intermediate those at which the bars 0 are located by the girts l3 l3 ext-ending around the tower. By this means, therefore, averyrigid tower is produced, and as respects the central structure composed of the rods and their connections it may be considered equivalent to a tubular strained center, because it is entirely open in the line of the axis of the tower, and the pump-rod may extend vertically through this open center, being guided, as above stated, in the openings din the fittings D which connect the rods.

In addition to the bracing already described, each ladder or triangular side of the tower is provided with oblique tension-rods .I .I, extending between consecutive girts l3 13. To afford means of securing these tensionrods or stretched braces, as they might be termed, I employ clips II II, &c. Each of these clips of the form shown in Fig. 5 is made to consist of three sides of a solid angle with one of the corners cut out at 7L.- They may be made from a blank cut from steel plate and folded at the lines 7b, which mark the corners when folded. For convenience in description I term the end portions, II II, thus folded down the wings and the inter-, mediate portions, 1-1 the cap of the clip. In the cap H I make an aperture H and leading from it two notches or extensions H H In each of the wings H, I make elongated bolt-apertures H I1 Two of these clips are employed together at each point on each corner-post where girts B Bare attached, the two. clips being laid in reverse position, one with the cap up and the other with the cap down, the wings of one being laid within the angle formed by the wings of the other, as may be understood from Figs. 3 and 4. The two clips thus associated being made exactly alike when they are placed one within the other, as stated, their bolt-holes II II do not exactly coincide, and these bolt-holes are therefore made enough wider than the bolts L L, which are to secure them to the corner-posts, so that the bolts may pass through both apertures, although they are mismatched to the extent of the thickness of the wings H. The same bolts L L thus serve to secure both the clips to the corner-posts. The straining rods or cables or stretched braces J terminate at both ends in knobs J J, &c., which are of suitable size to be inserted in the apertures 11 of the caps of the clips II, while the knobs or cables back of the rods are small enough to pass into the notches H It will be readily understood from this description that the two straining-rods which extend, say, for instance, upward from the upper of the two clips have their knobs successively inserted through the aperture H in the upper clip, each rod being in turn lodged in one of the notches H and that the same method will be pursued with respect to the two rods which extend from the lower clip downward obliquely. The four rods thus extending from any given corner being thus secured, a bolt M is inserted through the apertures II in the two clips and secured by a nut, suitable washers M M being employed to span the apertures 11 which are larger than may be required for the bolt, and the bolt, with its washers, (or without them, if its head and nut are large enough to dispense with the washers,) serves as a key, retaining the strained rods in the notches H and preventing them from becoming disengaged from the clips by slipping out into the apertures H The entire series of strain in g-rods J being thus connected up, the bolts L being left slightly slack, the nuts on the bolts l\I being screwed up, will draw the two clips in each pair together and take up any slack in the straining-rods, thus seating all the joints snugly, and this process may be carried on until any desired tension is produced on the straining-rods, the limit being the length of the slots H and these are made long enough to permit any necessary adjustment. This means of adjustment is resorted to whenever from any cause the tower or any portion of it seems to be slack or lacking in stiffness, which may be supplied by thus tightening the braces, and, taken in connection with the tightening, which may be effected by adjusting the nuts on the rods G, there is thus afforded means for straining the tower tight in every direction at any time.

I claim 1. In a tower, in combination with the corner-posts united at the top, centrally-apertured fittings centrally located with respect to the corner-posts and connected to the cornerposts near the top and near the bottom respectively of the tower and similar intermediate fittings and vertical rods which connect them successively from the extreme upper to the extreme lower fitting; and suitable means for tightening said rods, whereby an open strained vertical center structure is produced: substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the corner-posts of a tower, braces C secured to the cornerposts, respectively, and extending in an inclined direction and diagonally toward the vertical axis of the tower; a centrally-apertured fitting to which said braces are secured located centrally with respect to the cornerposts; similar eentrally-apertured and centrally-located fittings, and rods which connect them successively from the first-mentioned such fitting upward; the uppermost of such fittings being connected to the corner-posts near the top of the tower, and suitable means for straining said rods taut: sub stantially as set forth.

I11 combination with the corner-posts, centrally-apertured fittings located centrally with respect to the posts, the uppermost of said fittings being secured to the post near the top and the lowermost secured to the posts near the bottom; rods arranged in pairs connecting consecutive fittings, individuals of each pair being at opposite sides of the axis of the tower; alternate pairs being in vertical planes at an angle to each other: substantially as set forth.

at. In combination with the corner-posts, the braces 0 extending from the posts respectively obliquely upward and downward diagonally with respect to the tower; the four-winged fittings; one of said fittings having its wings respectively connected to the braces O, the remainder of said fittings being vertically in line above the first; said fittings being connected consecutively by rods secured to their wings; two rods extending up from the lowermost fitting from two opposite wings, and two rods extending down from the uppermost fitting from two opposite wings; intermediate fittings having the rods extending, two, upward from two opposite wings, and the other two, downward from the other two opposite wings, said rods having their ends threaded and provided with nuts, whereby they may be drawn taut: substantially as set forth.

5. In a tower, in combination with the corner-posts, fittings which are centrally apertured and located centrally with respect to the tower, in combination with diagonal bars connecting each of said fittings with each of the corner-posts; the rods G, which connect consecutive fittings secured to the bars at their connections with the fittings: substantially as set forth.

6. In a tower, in combination with the cornor-posts, the centrally-apertured and contrally-located fittings, the lowermost and uppermost of which are secured to the cornerposts, rods which connect said centrally apertured and located fittings consecutively from the uppermost to the lowermost, said rods bcin g employed in pairs, individuals of each pair being at opposite sides of the axis of the tower, and consecutive pairs alternating in two vcr tioal planes through the axis at an angle to each other, said rods being threaded at both ends and connected to the fittings respective] y by two nuts on each threaded end which bind the fitting between them: substantially as set forth.

7. In a tower, in combination with the angleiron corner-posts, the clips having two sides fitting the angle of the corner-posts and a third side in a plane transverse thereto, the sides which fit the angle of the corner-post having elongated bolt-holes and the transverse side having the aperture H and notches leading therefrom; tension-rods or cables J having knobs at the ends adapted to enter the apertures H and lodged in the notches H and the bolts which secure the clips to the corner-posts: substantially as set forth.

8. I11 combination with the angle-iron corner-posts, the clips H having their lateral wings II provided with elongated bolt-holes, and the cap-plate provided with the aperture H having notches H said clips being lodged one within the other in reversed position; the tension-rods or cables J knobbed and adapted to engage the caps; the bolt M passing through the apertures H and serving as a key to retain the tension-rods and draw and hold the clips together and the bolts which secure said clips to the corner-posts: substantially as set forth.

0. In combination with the corner-posts and the clips II II relatively inverted and lodged one within the other and both lodged against the c0rnerpost; the bolts which secure them to corner-posts; the horizontal girts extending from post to post having their ends socured to the corner-posts by the same bolts which secure the clips; the tension-rods or cables connected to said clips respectively and extending one upward and one downward obliquely in each side of the tower adjacent to such corner; the boltholes in the clips being elongated; and a bolt adapted to draw and hold the clips together, whereby, when the bolts which bind the clips to the corner-posts are slaeked, the tension-rods may be tightened without disturbing the position of the girts: substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set myhand, in the presence of two witnesses, at Chicago, Illinois, this 9th day of July, 1895.

DE LONSON llhROl BARNARI).

\Vitnesses FRANK G. HOBART, (/HAS. ELDRED. 

